Power eyeleting-machine.



No. 638,994. Patented Dec. l2, I899. R. B. SMITH. POWER EYEL ETING MACHINE.

(Application med May 1, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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' No. 638,994. Patented Dec. I2, [899.

n. B. SMITH. I POWER EYELE TING MACHINE.

(Application med'ma 1, 1899.) (No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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WZMSQSE-S: invenaari rrn STATES PATENT FFICE.

ROBERT BURNS SMITH, OF QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE S POIVER EYELETTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

POWER EYELETlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,994, dated December 12, 1899. Application filed May 1, 1899. Serial No. 715,095. (No model.)

, To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT BURNS SMITH, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Quincy, in the county of Quincy and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power Eyeleting-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 of the said drawings is an elevation of a portion of a power eyeleting-machine having an embodiment of my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan of the work-plate, the cutting-block, and lower set, showing the said embodiment. Fig. 3 is aviewin vertical section in the plane of the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows near the ends of such line.

1 designates a portion of the fixed framework of a power eyeleting-machine 2 is the lower set, and 3 is the upper set. 4 is the punch, and 5 is the cutting-block, with which the punch cooperates, the said cutting-block being represented in dotted lines in Fig. 1

and in full lines in plan in Fig. 2. 6 designates the work-plate. The edge-gage for the work is designated 7 in Figs. 1 and 2. S is the pre'sser-foot. All of the foregoing parts are common to power eyeleting machines heretofore in use and may be constructed and arranged and the operative parts may be actuated as customary in practice or in any approved manner.

The cutting-block 5 stands in a slot 9 in the 5 work-plate, the greater part of the said slot being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and in the Working of the machine the said cuttingblock is moved from one position to another in the said slot. For instance, the said out- 40 ting-block is shifted or adjusted toward or from the position which the sets normally occupy (see Fig. 1) in order to varythe distance apart at which the eyelets are set in the work. This slot 9 is left open or uncov- 4 5 ered ordinarily in machines of the class to which the invention relates.

.One aim of my invention is to enable eyelets to be set along the lower portions of the edges of shoe-Vamps after lacing studs or hooks already have been set along the upper portions of such edges. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, in such cases in the treatment of one edge of a shoe-vamp it will be necessary to begin setting eyelets at the lower end of the same andto work up 5; wardly along such edge to the portion having the lacing-studs affixed thereto, while in the treatment of the other edge of the same vamp it will be necessary to begin immediately next the lacing-studs and to work along such edge downward to the lower end thereof. When beginning on the edge first mentioned, the lower end thereof will in practice be inserted first un der the presser-foot 8,the extreme margin or edge of the work resting against the edge-gage 7. The portion of such edge having the lacing-studs aflixed thereto will extend off toward the right-hand side in the drawings, while the heads of the lacing-studs will be turned downward. In ordinary ma- 7o chines such downt-urned heads of the lacingstuds would project into the slot 9 and would be held down in the slot by the pressure of the presser-foot 8 upon the work. In consequence the downturned head of the foremost lacing-stud would be encountered by the cutting-block 5 during the movement of the said cutting-block toward the right which precedes the set-ting of the last eyelet. This encounter of the cutting-block with the said stud would cause the work to be moved backward with the cutting-block during the remainder of the movement of the latter. This would displace the hole last punched in the work toward the right, so that in the feed movement of the top set the latter would fail to find and enter the said hole. Consequently in the advance or feed movement of the top set it would fail to carry the work with it. The result would be that in the closing of the sets together they would drive and clench the eyelet through an improper portion of the work, spoiling the latter. Should the head of a lacing-stud become engaged with one edge of slot 9, it would interfere with the ready re- 5 moval of the work from the machine on completing a row of eyelets. In order to obviate the catching of the studs in the manner indicated against either the cutting-block or the edge of the slot, I provide, in accordance Ico with one portion of the present invention, a slide 10, fitted to a guideway 11 in the workplate 6 and adapted to form a cover for the slot 9, the said slide having connectedtherewith a spring 12, acting with a tendency to draw the same toward the forward end of guideway 11.

By the action of the said spring the forward end of the slide is kept pressed up. close against the cutting-block 5. When the cutting-block is shifted or adjusted to the right in the drawings, it pushes the slide 10 in the same direction. When the cutting-block is shifted or adjusted back toward or into the position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the action of spring 12 causes the slide to follow and hold its advance end pressed against the cutting-block at all times. By means of the said slide the slot 9 in the workplate is bridged or covered at the right of the v cutting-bloclgso as to permit the performance of the operation of setting eyelets along the lower portion of an edge of a shoe-vamp already having lacing-studs applied to the upper portion of such edge by preventing the heads of the said lacing-studs from dropping into the slot and from being caught by the upper end of the cutting-block. The said slide serves to uphold the heads of the lac-- ing-studs out of the slot 9 in the work-table, and to cause the said heads to pass along without hitch or catch over the top of the cutting-block as the feeding progresses.

In order that eyelets may be set into the lower portion of the second edge of the vamp, the upper portion of such edge, wit-hits lacingstuds, will first require to be drawn through by hand under the presser-foot until the place for the first eyelet is located under the punch.

In this position of the work the last lacingstud will be located beneath the heel of the presser-foot. In machines as heretofore constructed the said stud in consequence of being interposed between the upper surface of the work-plate and the under surface of the presser-foot and taking the pressure off the presser-foot would act to hold the presserfoot uplifted somewhat, so that it would not press fairly upon the work and would fail to hold the work flattened out against the surface of the work-plate. This would operate to prevent accuracy in the location of the first hole that is-punched and of the eyelet set in such hole. In accordance with my invention I construct the work-plate at the onward side of the sets with a relief to accommodate the lacing-studs and prevent them from interfering with the descent of the presser-foot. Thus in advance of the sets 2 and 3 the upper surface of the work-plate is depressed, as at 13, below the general level of the upper surface of the work-plate, thereby allowing the heads of the lacing-studs to descend, leaving the lacing-studs free from compression and also re lieving the work from pressure under the heel of the presser-foot in advance of the sets, except at the rear, next the work-gage 7. The Work-plate preferably, also, is cut away immediately adjacent to the lower set 2, forming an opening 14, which receives and freely accommodates the downturned heads of the lacing-studs. The depression 13 and opening 14 afiord clearance to the lacing-studs, so that the latter no longer become caught and compressed between the heel of the presserfoot and work-plate and so that the presserfoot no longer is prevented from holding the work properly down on the upper surface of the work-plate. They afford perfect freedom in adjusting the work for the punching and insertion of eyelets.

I claim as my invention 1. In an eyeleting-machine, the combination with the setting devices, punch, and cutting-block, of the work-plate having the slot in which the said cutting-block works, and the cover for the said slot movable in unison with the cutting-block, substantially as described.

2. In an eyeleting-machine, the combination with the setting devices, punch, and cutting-block, of the work-plate having the slot in which the said cutting-block is shifted back and forth, and also having the guideway, of the cover-plate fitted to the said guideway, and the spring operating to carry the said cover-plate toward thecutting-block,substam tially as described.

3. In an eyeleting-machine, the combina tion with the eyelet-introducing devices, and the presser-foot, of the work-plate having the lacing-stud relief under the heel of the presserfoot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT BURNS SMITH.

lVitnesses:

OHAs. F. RANDALL, WM. A. MAoLEoD. 

